Thank you for sharing your journey, ​@Maine. It takes a lot of commitment to keep overcoming the challenges you've faced so far. You've already built a solid foundation with your listings, outreach, and D4D efforts, which shows how dedicated you are to building this business.

Some of our most experienced wholesalers here - like ​@Cory Boatright ​@Peter Osmanski ​@Zoerene ​@Dispomoneymike - may have faced similar obstacles in the beginning. If they could share how they systematized their processes and broke through the “first deal” barrier, it would be incredibly valuable!

1. Focus on One Lead Source

Right now, you’re juggling D4D, government lists, cold calling, skip tracing, CRM issues, and even VAs. That’s way too many moving parts. Pick one main channel, like driving for dollars plus skip tracing and master that before you branch out. Instead of chasing 300 leads, narrow it down to the best 30–50 prospects and follow up with them consistently.

2. Improve Negotiations and Seller Conversations

I know deals have fallen apart because of contracts and communication. The key is building rapport first. Sellers care about trust more than price. Keep your contracts simple (2–3 pages) instead of overwhelming. And when you talk to sellers, ask more questions like, “What’s your biggest challenge with this property?” then frame your solution around that.

3. Your CRM can’t be a pile of notebooks and half-broken spreadsheets. That’s a recipe for lost deals. Even a free system like Podio, Airtable, or Trello is way better. Create a simple pipeline: New Lead → Contacted → Negotiating → Contract Sent → Closed/Lost. Then follow up, follow up, follow up. Most deals close in the follow-up stage, not the first call.

4. Build Real Buyer Relationships

If most of your buyers are “tire kickers,” that means you don’t truly know what they want. Instead of blasting them deals, call each one and ask directly:

• What areas do you buy in?

• What price range?

• Flip or rental?

• How fast can you close?

Once you know their exact buy box, you’ll stop wasting time on deals that nobody actually wants.

5. Free skip tracing is killing your numbers — that’s why half the calls go nowhere. Invest in a paid skip tracing service. The data quality alone will save you hours.

6. I get why you’re looking at VAs, but it’s too early. Don’t outsource chaos. Nail your process first, document it, then hand it off.

Hello ​@Maine,

You’ve done more than most before their first deal - D4D, 300+ leads, gov lists, 100+ cold calls, and you're still standing? That’s real.

Here’s a quick roadmap to get you unstuck and paid:

1. Organize Your Leads

Build a clean Google Sheet CRM with:

• Name, Address, Motivation, Status, Notes, Last Contact

• Use color codes + set follow-up reminders

2. Upgrade Your Data
Invest in a batch skip tracing tool and a basic dialer - even $50/month will 10x your connection rate.

You can also use God Mode to skip trace buyers in the area you market your deals.

3. Focus Your Efforts

Stop going wide. Pick one niche (e.g. code violations in Waukegan), and go deep with consistent follow-up.

4. Build a Real Buyers List

Use Investorlift’s God Mode to find active buyers in your zip codes.
Call and qualify them: get buy box, cash on hand, and timeline.

5. Simplify Your Offers

Keep contracts simple. Don’t let attorneys kill deals.
Line up buyers before making offers to keep control and confidence.

You’re closer than you think. The first deal is always the hardest - but it’ll change your life. Keep pushing; you got this. 🔥

Hey ​@Maine the advice above is spot on, excellent suggestions. All I can really add is don’t be discouraged by the ones that had obstacles you can’t control. We spoke about that one with the attorney, and even if you had done 100 deals at this point that one was challenging due to unreasonable demands. Truth is if you had the experience of 100 deals you would have walked on that one sooner. We can’t force deals, and the numbers on that one just wouldn’t work for most.

Also, evaluate the target market, like suggested above use God mode and pick those nearby cities with a lot of buyer activity. You have the drive, most aren’t willing to take the action you have!

Man, I can tell you’ve been grinding hard — 300 distressed properties, cold calls, government lists, buyers… that’s not wasted effort, you’ve already laid a lot of groundwork.

Here’s what I’d focus on to get unstuck:

1. Get organized. Pick one simple CRM (even Google Sheets) and move all your leads there. No more notebooks.

2. Talk motivation first, numbers second. Low offers sting less when sellers feel heard.

3. Grow your buyers list. Ten buyers isn’t enough. Aim for 50+ by calling recent cash buyers, REIAs, and FB groups.

4. Prioritize hot lists. Tax delinquent + code violations = most motivated sellers.

5. Don’t overcomplicate with VAs yet. Nail down your own process first, then bring others in.

Most importantly: don’t stop. You’re one good follow-up away from your first deal. The hustle is already there — just tighten up the system and keep moving.